Clonlara squeeze past gutsy O’Callaghan’s Mills

Clonlara 0-11   O’Callaghan’s Mills 1-5

PRE-match favourites Clonlara struggled to scale the dizzy heights expected with a star-studded line-up for long periods in this dour clash before they eventually squeezed past a gutsy O’Callaghan’s Mills outfit.

 

With four Clare seniors, Domhnaill O’Donovan, Nicky O’Connell, Darach Honan and John Conlon; three U-21 panellists, Cathal O’Connell, Cillian Fennessy and Colm Galvin, intermediate player, Tomás O’Donovan and Clare minor captain, Shane O’Brien, as well as former inter-county minor, Oisín O’Brien in their ranks, Clonlara were fancied to win the quarter-final comfortably.

However, O’Callaghan’s Mills refused to read the script and could have produced a shock win if they had converted all their scoring opportunities, particularly during the opening half.

While Clonlara are on the shortlist to regain the Canon Hamilton Trophy, selector, Tommy Moloney insists they will have to improve to defeat Newmarket in the semi-final clash.

“Last year, Clonlara were defeated by Kilmaley in the championship quarter-final. Clonlara are very happy to win today but we wouldn’t be happy with our first-half display. Sometimes when you are favourites, it can affect your performance and can seep into players’ heads. Clonlara gave away too many frees again today.

“When your inter-county players return, it can be hard to get them integrated into the team at club level. Clonlara managed to keep the score down in the first half and we did play better in the second half,” he said.

A crestfallen O’Callaghan’s Mills’ selector, Brendan Noonan, was “gutted” after watching his side lose, despite winning plenty of possession.

“I was proud of the O’Callaghan’s Mills’ players, they left nothing behind them on the field of play and also put in a huge effort throughout the year in training.

“The players fought really hard but just couldn’t get the scores. We missed a few scores that we should have taken. Coming down here, we would have been very happy to keep Clonlara to 0-11, which we would have felt would be enough to win the game. We were very anxious to keep a clean sheet and felt there were a few goals in our team.

“However, 1-5 isn’t enough to win a senior hurling championship game,” he said.

Two points up at the interval, O’Callaghan’s Mills could easily have been six points ahead with more penetration up front and effectively let their opponents off the hook.

The Mills could also have snatched a draw two minutes into injury time or won a penalty when Conor ‘Elm Hill’ Cooney appeared to be fouled inside the square and his subsequent goal attempt was saved by Clonlara custodian, Ger O’Connell.

Instead, unbeaten Clonlara qualified for a mouth-watering clash with Newmarket in the knowledge that a repeat of this lack-lustre display will not be good enough to defeat the Blues. They will need a better return from some of their forwards, including Clare senior Darach Honan, who won some good possession, but still finished scoreless.

Both sides have also qualified for the Clare Champion Cup final and are the only two teams who can complete a league and championship double.

Apart from a John Conlon point, which gave them an early lead in the sixth minute once Gary Neville equalised for the Mills at the other end, Clonlara didn’t regain the lead until Colm Galvin hit the target to put them 0-9 to 1-5 in front, 14 minutes into the second half.

Even in the last quarter, Clonlara couldn’t put the game way beyond O’Callaghan’s Mills’ reach and only managed another two points from a Cathal O’Connell free and John Conlon with 13 minutes remaining.

Five minutes from the end, Cathal O’Connell went for a goal from a 30m free when a point seemed to be the wiser option and the Mills could have grabbed a late goal or even a penalty to finish level with Conor Cooney’s late strike.

O’Callaghan’s Mills got the ideal tonic when the two Conor Cooneys combined in the 13th minute with Conor ‘Elm Hill’ giving Ger O’Connell no chance after a powerful drive.

It should have rattled Clonlara. However, Pat Conlon’s men hit back with points from Colm Galvin and the impressive Nicky O’Connell, who crowned a great defence-splitting 50m solo run by slotting the sliothar between the posts.

Adrian Donovan, Gerry Cooney and Clare captain Patrick Donnellan repelled a succession of promising Clonlara attacks, while the hard-working Niall Donovan and Jonathan Lyons did well in midfield, particularly in the opening half.

Gary Neville and Cathal O’Connell traded points at either end to leave the Mills 1-4 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

With a stiff breeze at their backs in the second half, Clonlara, who were inspired by centre-back Nicky O’Connell who made a succession of great catches and clearances, started to claw their way back courtesy of points from Cathal O’Connell frees and some good scores from Colm Galvin.

The Mills only managed a converted Gary Neville free in the second period.

Clonlara: Ger O’Connell; Shane O’Brien, Domhnaill O’Donovan, Pat O’Hare; Paul Nihill, Nicky O’Connell, Oisín O’Brien; Cormac O’Donovan, Cillian Fennessy; John Conlon, William Slattery, Colm Galvin; Cathal O’Connell, Tomás O’Donovan, Darach Honan.
Subs: Jason Murphy (half-time for Oisín O’Brien), Ronan Carey (56 mins for William Slattery) and Pat Conlon (58 mins for Jason Murphy).
Scorers: Cathal O’Connell (0-4, all frees), Colm Galvin (0-3, 1f), John Conlon (0-2, 1f) and Nicky O’Connell and Tomás O’Donòvan (0-1 each)..
Frees for: 17; wides: 10.
O’Callaghan’s Mills: John Cooney; Ger Frost, Adrian Donovan, Gerry Cooney; Aidan O’Gorman, Patrick Donnellan, Bryan Donnellan; Niall Donovan, Jonathon Lyons; Adrian Flaherty, Conor Cooney, Conor ‘Rocky’ Cooney; Cathal McKeogh, Gary Neville, Eoghan Pewter.
Sub: James McMahon (57 mins for Eoghan Pewter).
Scorers: Gary Neville (0-4, all frees), Conor ‘Elm Hill’ Cooney (1-0) and Adrian Flaherty (0-1).
Frees for: 14; wides: 8.
Referee: Jim Hickey, Cratloe.